Acetone, CH₃COCH₃, is a nonelectrolyte; hypochlorous acid, HClO, is a weak electrolyte; and ammonium chloride, NH₄Cl, is a strong electrolyte. (b) If 0.1 mol of each compound is dissolved in solution, which one contains 0.2 mol of solute particles, which contains 0.1 mol of solute particles, and which contains somewhere between 0.1 and 0.2 mol of solute particles?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the type of electrolyte for each compound: Acetone is a nonelectrolyte, hypochlorous acid is a weak electrolyte, and ammonium chloride is a strong electrolyte.
2. Understand the behavior of each type of electrolyte in solution: Nonelectrolytes do not dissociate into ions, weak electrolytes partially dissociate, and strong electrolytes completely dissociate.
3. Calculate the number of solute particles for acetone: Since it is a nonelectrolyte, 0.1 mol of acetone will remain as 0.1 mol of solute particles.
4. Calculate the number of solute particles for ammonium chloride: As a strong electrolyte, NH_4Cl will dissociate completely into NH_4^+ and Cl^-, resulting in 0.2 mol of solute particles.
5. Calculate the number of solute particles for hypochlorous acid: Being a weak electrolyte, HClO will partially dissociate, resulting in a number of solute particles between 0.1 mol and 0.2 mol.

Key Concepts

Electrolytes and Nonelectrolytes

Electrolytes are substances that dissociate into ions when dissolved in water, allowing the solution to conduct electricity. Strong electrolytes, like ammonium chloride, completely dissociate into ions, while weak electrolytes, like hypochlorous acid, only partially dissociate. Nonelectrolytes, such as acetone, do not dissociate into ions and therefore do not conduct electricity.

Molarity and Solute Particles

Molarity is a measure of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. When a solute dissolves, it can produce different numbers of solute particles depending on its nature. For example, a strong electrolyte produces more particles than a nonelectrolyte or a weak electrolyte, which is crucial for determining the total number of solute particles in a solution.

Dissociation of Compounds

The dissociation of compounds in solution refers to the process by which ionic compounds separate into their constituent ions. For instance, 0.1 mol of ammonium chloride dissociates into 0.1 mol of NH4+ and 0.1 mol of Cl-, resulting in 0.2 mol of solute particles. In contrast, acetone remains as whole molecules, contributing only 0.1 mol of solute particles, while hypochlorous acid contributes somewhere between these two values due to its partial dissociation.